Summary
In Saving Eutychus, Gary Millar and Phil Campbell aim to help preachers “preach in a way that is faithful to the Scripture without being dull” (26). They accomplish this goal by giving the reader several tools to help them communicate the message of a biblical text in a clear and engaging manner. From the outset, they distinguish between being engaging and creative and being cunning and manipulative. The goal of the preacher is be “so truth-driven that we wouldn’t dream of twisting the message to suit our own ends” (28). However, the preacher must try to present the truth in such a way as to maximize its impact (engaging), in a way that connects with people at a deep level. This kind of preaching, they argue, will change the hearts of the people as it clearly communicates the power for change- God’s Word. Millar and Campbell explain ways to clearly communicate God’s Word through giving instruction concerning finding the “bid idea” of the passage, illustrating the obvious, and continually growing in the ability to apply the biblical text. They also give some helpful insight on preaching Christ from the Old Testament, using different aspects of delivery (volume, pace, pitch), and the importance of sermon critique. This book is a simple yet very practical book on preaching.
JARRETT FLETCHER 